Stock feeding device for forging machine



y 1958 M- w. LAMPRECHT 2,835,152

STOCK FEEDING DEVICE FORGING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Merle 14/. [omprc/n Filed Feb. 24, 1953 ATTORNEYS May 20, 1958 M. w. LAMPRECHT s ocxFEEDING DEVICE FORGING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24, 1953INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS May 20, 1958 M. w. LAMPREYCHT STOCK FEEDING DEVICE FORGINGMACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 24, 1955 JII y f 6 a W mw$- 1% W; 8

May 20, 1958 M. w. LAMPRECHT 2,835,152

STOCK FEEDING DEVICE FORGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1953" 6 Sheets-$heet4 I I YIIIIIIIIIIIIIA'II ATTOR/VZYJ May 20, 1958 M. w. LAMPRECHT STOCKFEEDING DEVICE FORGING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 24, 1953 XWELL INVENTOR. Merle lomprec/rf BY /%&, 7%a, Zia? a 374W ATTOR/VL'YJ 6Sheets-Sheet 6 H l I I I:

Merle 14/ lamp evil!- M. W. LAMPRECHT STOCK FEEDING DEVICE FORGINGMACHINE May 20, 1958 Filed Feb. 24, 1953 United States PatntO STOCKFEEDINGDEVICE FOR FORGING MACHINE Application February 24, 1953, SerialNo. 338,257

6 Claims. (Cl. 78-99) This invention relates to improvements in stockfeeding or transfer mechanism and one which is particularly adapted toforging machines.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novelmechanism for transferring work pieces progressively along a series ofwork-operation stations located in a plane, wherein a pair of dies havemutually engaging faces meeting in the plane, a pair of stock trans ferfingers having mutually engaging faces meeting in the same plane, aplurality of work-piece-embracing recesses are provided in the mutuallyengaging faces of the pairs of dies and of the pair of fingers, theserecesses being spaced apart by the same predetermined distance in thecase of each pair, together with coordinating means causing closing ofthe dies, opening of the fingers, raising of the fingers, closing of thefingers, opening of the dies and lowering of the fingers progressivelyin that order.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device as abovedescribed wherein the number of recesses in the pair of fingers is onegreater than the number of recesses in the pair of dies, the dies beingcut away at the above-mentioned predetermined distance below the lowestrecess where work is performed so as to release a workpiece there,together with means' for releasably holding a work-piece in the sameplane with the work-operation stations at the predetermined distanceabove the upper: most recess Where work is done upon a piece, wherebythe fingers grip a new work piece at their every up excursion, and thedies drop a completed work-piece upon every down excursion of thefingers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel mechanismfor raising and lowering the fingers mentioned hereinabove by partscoacting with the header slide of a forging machine.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide novel fingerclosing and finger separating mechanism which is simple in operation andrequires very little maintenance. i

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from theaccompanying drawings and description and the essential features thereofwill be set forth in the appended claims. i

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a fragmental top plan view of a forging machine embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig.l; I

Fig. 3 is a fragmental sectional view enlarged taken along the line 3-3of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig.3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental transverse sectional view enlarged taken alongthe line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is afragmental sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;r

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are views similar to Fig. 2 and showing successivepositions of the stock transfer fingers;

Fig. 11 is a fragmental sectional view enlarged taken along the line11-11 of Fig. 7;

r Fig. 12 is a fragmental sectional view enlarged taken along the line12-12 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 13 is a fragmental sectional view enlarged taken along the line13-13 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 14 and 15 are fragmental sectional views enlarged takenalongsimilarly numbered lines on Fig. 9;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view enlarged taken along the line 16-16 of Fig.2; while Fig. 17 is a fragmental sectional view enlarged taken along theline 17-17 of Fig. 8.

While my invention has many uses, I have chosen to show the same asapplied to a forging machine of the type fully described in UnitedStates Patent No. 2,011,106 granted August 13, 1935 to myself. Referencemay be had to this patent for a more complete description of the forgingmachine. It will suffice to say here that a frame 20 provides a dieslide 21 in which a movable die 22 is moved toward and away from astationary die 23, by means of a toggle arrangement 24 which. isoperated by toggle operating mechanism 25 which moves in a toggle slideway 26 in the frame 20. A header slide 27 reciprocates in ways 28, andcarries at its forward end a set of tools, one of which is indicated at29 in full lines and in broken lines in its retracted position. A shaft30 extending crosswise of the frame 20 and driven by a source of powerconnected at 31 operates the header slide 27 and the toggle slide 25.

The die 22 is moved toward and away from the die 23 by means of thetoggle mechanism 24 operated by the toggle slide 25. The dies meet in acommon plane indicated at 32 in Fig. 2. Positioned substantially inthisplane, are

a plurality of work-gripping recesses 32a, 32b, 32c and 32d which arespaced apart a predetermined distance. Fixed to the die 23 by means ofbolts 33 is a block which provides a shelf 34 for supporting a newwork-piece 35 at the above-mentioned predetermined distance above thetop first operation cavity 32a. A recess 32) is cut away in the mutuallyengaging faces of the dies 22 and 23 extending from just above a workstation 32a which is the predetermined distance below the last workoperating position at 32d. The recess 32f extends to the bottom of thedie so that a piece reaching the location 322 will drop out the bottomof the dies.

Referring now to Fig. 16, slots 22:: and 23a in dies 22 and 23repectively extend the full length of the die blocks in a verticaldirection. These recesses open toward the mutually engaging faces of thedies. Fingers 36 and 37 are slidably mounted in the slots 22a and 23arespectively. At their lower ends, these fingers are connected forvertical movement together but permitting relative horizontal movementbetween them. A short rectangular bar 38 is firmly secured in a squareshouldered recess 37a by means of a bolt 39. The bar 38 is slidable in asquare shouldered recess 36a in the finger 36. A friction reducingroller 40 is rotatably mounted on a pin 41 fixed in the finger 36. Thisbar 38 causes the fingers 36, 37 to move vertically together but permitshorizontal movement of the fingers by relative approach movement to awork-gripping position and upon relative separating movement to awork-releasing position.

The fingers 36 and 37 have mutually engaging faces which are providedwith a series of work-gripping recesses numbered respectively 42a, 42b,42c and 42d corresponding to the work operating stations and dierecesses 32a,

32b, 32c and 32d previously described. The distance be .pair of recesseson the fingers at 42c corresponding to fit the work position 32c but itwill be remembered that at this location there are no work grippingrecesses on the dies, the same being there cut away as indicated at 32f.

Resilient means is provided at all times urging the fingers 36 and 37toward workgripping position;- There are four of these, all identical,and indicatedrby the reference numeral 43. One of them 'is shownindetailrimFigs. l1 and 12. A plunger 44 is slidably mounted iura recess45 in the die block 23. A helical spring ddis engaged between theplunger 44 and a screw 47 threaded intoa suitable opening in the dieblock 23. At the fingerengaging end of the plunger 44, a roller 48 isrotatably mounted on a short shaft 49. Each spring 4 6 always urges itsplunger 44 against its associated finger 37 or-36, so that these fingersarealways urged toward work-gripping position. The springs 46 and screws47 are 'so'adjusted that equal tension is exerted on all of the plungers44.

Means isprovided for causing separating movement of the fingers 36 and37 operative for separation of the fingers by closing movement of thedies 22 and 23, but only when the fingers are at or near their lowermostposition as seen in Fig. 2. This means comprises four struts 50 each ofwhich is engageable between the back of its associated slot 22a or 230and the face of the opposing finger. A friction reducing roller 51 isrotatably mounted at the slot-engaging end of eachstrut. A spring 52 isso held in'the associated finger as to always urge the struts ttowardthe back wall of the slots 22a and 2311. This'structure is clearlyshown in Figs. 13 and 14. When the fingers are near their lowermostposition shown in Figs. 2 and 13, the struts 50 are operative to pushthe fingers apart as shown in Fig. 2 to a. position where they clear thework pieces in the die recesses.

At positions just above the struts 50 in Fig. 2, there are providedpockets 53 in the back walls of the slots 22a and 230. There are four ofthese pockets corresponding to the four struts 51 It results from thisconstruction, that as the fingers 36 and 37 move upwardly from theposition "of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 7, the rollers'51 ofeachstrut structure drop into the pockets 53 as shown in Fig. 7. At suchtimes, and also when the dies are open as shown in Fig. 9, the springs52 are fully extended as shown in-Fig. l4 and the struts 5ft are pulledwholly within the mutually engaging faces of the fingers 36 and 37, sothat they are no longer effective tospread the fingers apart. -At suchtimes, the fingers are under the lateral compulsion'of thercsilientmeans 43 only.

Means is provided for causing upward movement of the fingers 36 and 37whilethe dies 22 and 23 are closed, and means are provided for causingdownward movement of the fingers while the dies are open. A preferredform for thismeans is associated with the header slide 27 which makesits forward or working stroke downwardly as viewed in Fig. 1 when thedies are closed. Referring now to Figs. 1, 5 and-6, a can-r54 ismountedin a suitable position on the header slide 27 and .a'diustable by meansof bolts 55 which engage in slotted openings in the base of the cam 54.The cam has a low horizontal portion 54a and a. higher horizontalportion54!) connected by an inclined portion 540. A follower roller-56 isrotatably mounted on a lever 57 which is fixed on shaft 58. The Shaft 58is oscillatably mounted :in bearing caps 59 secured to the frame 20. Theend of lever 57 opposite the roller 56 is provided with a pin 6i)pivotally'mounted in the lever 57 at 61. A spring 162 is held 'betweenafixed plate 63 and shoulder 60a on pin 6&3 as clearly: shown in Fig. 5,so as to at all times urge .roller56 against the cam 54.

On the other end shaft 52) is provided 'an operative connection wherebyoscillating movement of shaft 58, caused by reciprocation of headerslide 27 .and 'cam 54,

is transmitted to the fingers 36 and37. The-mechanism for this purposeisclearly seenin .1, 2,3 and 4. To the front end of shaft 58 is secured afinger operating causes the lever--57 .to so :move.

bracket 64 by means of a key 65 which is held in a reces in the shaft bymeans of set screws 66. The free end of bracket 64 is bifurcated and anadjusting block 67 lies between the bifurcated arms 64a, adjustably heldin position by the screws 68 which are locked by the nuts 69. A shortshaft 70 extends from block 67 into a snug recess 71a in the lever 71.This lever has an opening 715 through which the shaft 58 passes. Thelever has slotted openings 716 through which pass bolts 72 which arethreaded into the bracket 64. It results from this construction, thatthe lever 71 may be very nicely adjusted angularly with respect to thebracket 64 so as to give the exact movement desired to fingers 36 and 37in a vertical direction. The connection between lever 71 and the finger37 comprises a pin '73 secured to the lever 71 and having its other endsurrounded by a free riding roller 74 which engages in an elongatedopening 75 in the upper end of finger 37. Through this mechanism, theoscillation of shaft 58 causes movement of finger 37 up and down intimed re lation to the movements of the header slide 27 and the toggleslide 25. Through the connection 38, previously described, finger 36partakcs of the same movement as finger 37.

Those familiar with this art will recognize that the work-pieceprogresses downwardly from a first position on the workrests 34 fromtheposition indicated 35 to a first operation cavity 32a when anappropriate tool on the header :slideperforms a first operation on theend of the work-piece. The piece then travels progressively tothensecond-opera-tion position at 32b, to the third operation position320, and to the fourth operation position 32d wheredifferent shapedtools properly positioned ontheheader slide produce further change inthe work-piece as desired.

Referring nowy-to Figs. 2, 7,8, 9 and 10, it is believed the operationof my device will be clearly shown. Starting' at Fig. 2, the dies 22 and23 are closed upon the work-pieces in the various operating positions,the .tools of-which 29 is representative are coming toward the work onthe header slide 27, and the fingers 36 and 37 are open and ready tomove upwardly. The fingers are being pressed toward each other by theresilient devices 43, but the: struts 50 engaging against-the back walls22a and 23a of the slots in the fingers are pushing the fingers apart sothat they clear the work-pieces at the various stations. Passing to Fig.7, the dies are still closed and the .fingers are moving upwardly due:to the oscillation of the shaft 58 by cam 54 as the header slide'movesforward on its working stroke. The rollers 51 on the ends of the struts.50 have dropped into'the pockets 53 so that these struts are no longerholding the fingers 36 and 37 apart. Instead, the resilient devices 43are urging the fingers toward each other and the mutually engageablefaces of the fingers are rubbing against the work-pieces mat the variouswork stations 32a, 32b. 32c and 32d. In Fig. '8, the fingers havecompleted their upward movement and havesnapped onto vthe variouswork-pieces .at the various .working stations as well .as the uppermostwork-piece 35 ylation ofshaft 58 caused byroller 56 moving from the camportion 54b to the cam .por-tion 54a. Spring 62 The movement of thefingers 36 and 37 from the position of Fig. 8 to the position of Fig. -9:has carried each work-piece downwardly by the predetermined distanceAso thatthe new piece 35 :is carried tothe first operation station 3.2a,eachof these pieces being worked upon has been lowered one position,

and ithe il'owerrnostrpie'ce is at the location .322 indicatedv iin-Eig..2. keferring nowtoFig. '10, the diesare closing and the fingers areready to open. The engagement-of the struts 50 through their rollers 51against the back walls 22a and 23a of the slots in the dies is soarranged that the fingers 36 and 37 do not release the work-pieces untilthe recesses in the dies are starting to engage the work-pieces. As thedies continue to close from the position of Fig. to the position of Fig.2, the fingers continue to open until they approach the position of Fig.2. The completed piece at the location 32e then drops out downwardly toa suitable receptacle. The timing of the cams controlling the headerslide 37 and the toggle slide are so coordinated with the movements ofshaft 58 that the above described series of operations takes placesmoothly.

One unexplained point should now be taken up. It was early stated thatthe die 23 is stationary and only the die 22 is movable. Referring toFigs. 16 and 17 the closed position of the dies is indicated in Fig. 16and the open position of the dies in Fig. 17 with the parts properlyaligned vertically in the drawing. The die 22 moves from its closedposition shown in full lines in Fig. 16 in the direction of the arrowtoward the right to the line B there shown in dot-dash lines. The openposition of the die 22 is shown in Fig. 17. Due to the resilient devices43 being set for equal tension, as previously described, the fingers 36and 37 are automatically centered with respect to the opening betweenthe dies as the parts are seen in Fig. 17. Referring to Figs 7 and 8, itwill be noted in Fig. 7 that the new work-piece is lying upon the workrests 34. In Fig. 8, die 22 is moved toward the right but the resilientdevices 43 have centered the fingers 36 and 37 which results in thework-piece 35 being carried toward the right from the position of Fig. 7to the position of Fig. 8, where the work-piece clears the work rests 34so that the piece 35 may move downwardly as shown in Figs. 9 and 10.This shifting of the work piece is also clearly illustrated in Figs. 16and 17.

What I claim is:

l. Mechanism for transferring work pieces progressively along a seriesof work-operation stations located in a plane comprising a pair of dieshaving mutually engaging faces meeting in said plane, a pair of fingershaving mutually engaging faces meeting in said plane,

a plurality of workpiece-embracing recesses in said mutually engagingfaces of said pairs of dies and of said fingers, said recesses beingspaced apart the same predetermined distance in each pair, the number ofrecesses in said fingers being one greater than the number of recessesin said dies, said dies being cut away at said predetermined distancebelow the associated lowest recess to a distance greater than thedimension of a work piece, means for releasably holding a work piece insaidplane at said predetermined distance above the uppermost recess insaid dies, each of said dies having an elongated slot extending at rightangles to said plane, said slots opening toward said mutually engagingdie faces, said fingers slidingly held in said slots, there being stintsengageable between the backs of said slots and said fingers andseparating said fingers by closing movement of said dies only when saidfingers are at and near their lowermost position, resilient means urgingsaid fingers toward work gripping position, means for causing alternateclosing and opening movement of said dies, means for causing upwardmovement of said fingers while said dies are closed, means for causingdownward movement of said fingers while said dies are open, there beingpockets provided in the backs of said slots permitting movement of saidstruts away from said plane corresponding to work releasing position ofsaid fingers, said pockets being positioned to receive said struts assaid fingers move upwardly and shortly after said fingersleave theirlowermost position, whereby said fingers grip a new work piece at thetop at their every up excursion and said essence 2. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein said resilient means urging said fingers toward workgripping position comprise plungers movably mounted in said dies andengaging said fingers, and equally stressed springs on opposite sides ofsaid plane urging said fingers toward work gripping position.

3. Mechanism for transferring work pieces progressively along a seriesof work-operation stations located in a plane comprising a pair of dieshaving mutually engaging faces meeting in said plane, a pair of fingershaving mutually engaging faces meeting in said plane, a plurality ofworkpiece-embracing recesses in said mutually engaging faces of saidpairs of dies and of said fingers, said recesses being spaced apart thesame predetermined distance in each pair, means providing relativeapproach to work gripping position and separating move ment to workreleasing position of said dies and of said fingers, means providing upand down movement of said pair of fingers relative to said dies for saidpredetermined distance and parallel to said plane, and coordinatingmeans causing closing of said dies, opening of said fingers, raising ofsaid fingers, closing of said fingers, opening of said dies and loweringof said fingers progressively in that order, an elongated slot beingprovided in each of said dies and open toward said mutually engaging diefaces, said slots extending at right .angles to said plane, and saidfingers slidingly held in said slots, struts engageable between thebacks of said slots and said fingers and separating said fingers byclosing movement of said dies only when said fingers are at and neartheir lowermost position.

4. Mechanism for transferring work pieces progressively along a seriesof work-operation stations located in a plane comprising a pair of dieshaving mutually engag ing faces meeting in said plane, a pair of fingershaving mutually engaging faces meeting in said plane, a plurality ofworkpiece-embracing recesses in said mutually engaging faces of saidpairs of dies and of said fingers, said recesses being spaced apart thesame predetermined distance in each pair, means providing relativeapproach to work gripping position and separating movement to workreleasing position of said dies and of said fingers, means providing upand down movement of said pair of fingers relative to said dies for saidpredetermined distance and parallel to said plane, and coordinatingmeans causing closing of said dies, opening of said fingers, raising ofsaid fingers, closing of said fingers, opening of said dies and loweringof said fingers progressively in that order, an elongated slot beingprovided in each of said dies and open toward said mutually engagingdies faces, said slots extending at right angles to said plane, and saidfingers slidingly held in said slots, struts engageable between thebacks of said slots and said fingers and separating said fingers byclosing movement of said dies only when said fingers are at and neartheir lowermost position, pockets being provided in the backs of saidslots permitting move ment of said struts away from said planecorresponding to work releasing position of said fingers, and saidpockets being positioned to receive said struts as said fingers moveupwardly and shortly after said fingers leave their lowermost position.

5. Mechanism for transferring workpieces progressively along a series ofwork operation stations located in a plane comprising a pair of dieshaving mutually engaging faces meeting in said plane, a pair of fingershaving mutually engaging faces meeting in said plane, a plurality ofworkpiece embracing recesses in said mutually engaging faces of saidpairs of dies and of said fingers, said recesses being spaced apart thesame predetermined distance in each pair, guide means provided in saiddies, said guide means comprising vertically aligned recesses in theengaging faces of said dies, said fingers being snugly received in saidrecesses and slidably supported therein over substantially their entirelength, first means providing relative approach to work grippingposition and separating movement to work releasing position of saiddies, first resilient means mounted in said dies urging said fingerstoward work gripping position, second resilient means urging saidfingers toward Work releasing position, second means providing up anddown movement of said fingers relative to said dies for saidpredetermined distance and parallel to said plane, and coordinatingmeans for actuating said first-named means to close said dies, foractuating said second resilient means to open said fingers, foractuating said second means to raise said fingers, for actuating saidfirst resilient means to close said fingers, for actuating said firstmeans to open said dies and for actuating said second means to lowersaid fingers progressively in that order.

6. Mechanism for transferring workpieces progressively along a seriesof'work operation stations located in a plane comprising a pair of dieshaving mutually engaging faces meeting in said plane, a pair of fingershaving mutnally engaging faces meeting in said plane, a plurality ofworkpiece embracing recesses in said mutually engaging faces of saidpairs of dies and of said fingers, said recesses being spaced apart thesame predetermined distance in each pair, guide means associated withsaid dies defining a path of movement for said fingers, said guide meanscomprising an elongated slot provided in each of 'said dies and opentoward said mutually engaging die faces, said slots extending at rightangles to said plane, said fingers slidably held in said slots and saidworkpiece embracing recesses extending substantially continuously acrosssaid mutually engaging faces of said pair of dies and fingers, firstmeans providing relative approach to work gripping position andseparating movement to work releasing position of said dies, firstresilient means mounted in said dies urging said fingers toward workgripping position, second resilient means urging said fingers towardwork releasing position, second means providing up and down movement ofsaid fingers relative to said dies for saidpredetermined distance andparallel to said plane, and coordinating means for actuating saidfirst-named means to close said dies, for actuating said secondresilient 'rneans to open said fingers, for actuating said second meansto'raise said fingers, for actuating said first resilient means to closesaid fingers, for actuating said first means to open said dies and foractuating said second means to lowersaid fingers progressively in thatorder.

